Can you survive without cuddling and touch

Ahmedali999Ahmedali999
edited November 2021 in General

Cuddling and touch are human most needs, same level as 💧water and🍞🍗🥬🍛 food. Without them there are side effects such as stress,suicide thoughts,mental health,anxiety,depression,illnesses ect
I don't think I would survive without cuddling and touching👫, cuddling made me love and choose life which i never thought I would. Cuddle and touch are my life. I'm ready to get rid of anything even my phone ,people uesd to survive without technology, ☝️except cuddle and touch .

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Comments

  • lilithgrowlithelilithgrowlithe

    Physical touch is one of my love languages. But I personally am so unused to meeting my own needs I womt know I need touch until I get it and I just melt. I absolutely need cuddles to live

  • [Deleted User]WriterGF (deleted user)

    Yes. You can get used to going without most things.

  • calmcontactcalmcontact

    There is a difference between surviving and thriving. There's a fair amount of evidence that physical touch needs are real and have a dramatic impact on a person's ability to be healthy. A lot of us get so used to "getting by" that we don't know what true health and wellbeing are or feel like.

  • UCpaaHVg6u0UCpaaHVg6u0

    I don't think that I'm the same person without touch. You can survive, according to Maslow's pyramidal hierarchy of needs but you might be a different person without touch, so I question if you actually survive, or do you succumb while a different you survives? It's a philosophical problem, I think.

  • BabichevBabichev

    Yes but not well.

  • [Deleted User]ernesto_2 (deleted user)

    Just a few days ago, I told a Pro that decided to take a break from cuddling due to a salvo of personal and academic challenges (we still chat now, but not nearly as frequently):

    Don't struggle, snuggle! Don't just survive, thrive!

    We deserve to be happy, not just alive.. I say physical touch is no less a need than having sun on our skin or wind in our hair or any other experience that connects us to this world.

  • Chris04Chris04
    edited November 2021

    Answer is No!

    You can't survive with OUT human touch.
    -> 4 Main Happy Hormone brain needs.
    • Serotonin
    •Dopamine
    • Endorphins
    • OXYTOCIN!!!!!!!!!

    ( The lack of any of this... creates CORTISOL which leads to depression which leads to Suicide)

    Now.....

    SKIN Hunger
    The. Lack of human touch produces Cortisol
    (CORTISOL, the main stress hormone- if I recall there's about 5)
    CORTISOL TURNS INTO DEPRESSION
    ( Perfect example- Carsbs turn into sugar- to much sugar can lead to diabetes. IF you dont treat diabetes leads to death)
    CORTISOL turns into DEPRESSION.
    When depression is not treated on time.
    Ot leads to.
    1 into deeper deeper Depression
    A- Manic Depression
    B- BIPOLAR
    C- schizophrenic
    ETC.. ETC.. ETC..

    2 DRUG ADDICT

 3 ALCOHOLIC 

 4 SUICIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!

    NOW NUM 4....
    SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT OXYTOCIN!!! IS
    AT THE EXACT SAME LEVEL HAS
    1. DRINKING WATER
    2. SLEEPING
    3. EATING

    IS AN EVERYDAY DAY LIFE ESSENTIAL MEANING..... IF YOU DONT GET
WATER, SLEEP, FOOD OR OXYTOCIN.

    YOU Die.

      So once again answer is :

    NO YOU CANT SURVIVED WITH OUT IT.

  • speedrsr2001speedrsr2001

    It’s hard… I’m in a long distance relationship and haven’t seen her in 3 months. I’m craving it

  • Ahmedali999Ahmedali999
    edited November 2021

    @lilithgrowlithe it's true,me too, life has not taste
    ,or meaning,without them. In life there are struggle,stress,suffer,hardships ect.
    Cuddle and touch bring love,compassion,affection,makes life relifed,safe,communicated,support to be patient,stronged.
    @WriterGF i ☝️ don't think so,or maybe but there are side effects.
    @calmcontact you are absolutely right, you are spot on this.
    @UCpaaHVg6u0 don't forget cuddle and touch make life longer.
    @Babichev I like your knowledge I wish to see your opinion and information on this regards
    @ernesto_2 you're talking about the main needs to survive,without Sun☀️ and 🌬🚢🌫wind we can't survive at all .☝️you will always get touched anyway even without cuddle. There's no way to scape.
    @Chris04 ☝️no one can argue with you on this, if you debate anyone you win 10-0 I guarantee you with proving scientific proves.

  • Ahmedali999Ahmedali999

    @speedrsr2001 I'm also,I wait for the moment of joy.

  • RadiantHugsRadiantHugs Mod

    Depending on what stage of life. Babies who are not touched will almost certainly die. Children who are not touched in the first few years of their life will show failure to thrive and impaired development, according to one famous study done in Romanian orphanages. In later years, lack of touch might not kill you, but will almost certainly result in higher cortisol levels, possibly leading to a shortened lifespan.

  • [Deleted User]Tazman5307 (deleted user)

    Of course one can. It’s not like lacking water or food. Perhaps the question needs to be re written?

  • Ahmedali999Ahmedali999

    @CuddlesByDeep ofcourse and there are well examples as @Chris04 presented about the side effects of lack of touch.

  • Ahmedali999Ahmedali999

    @Tazman5307 you said ofcourse you can but didn't presented how, if you stopped having cuddle and touch still you always touch people around you,colleagues,families. These is no way u can't touch, you always do anyway.

  • Chris04Chris04

    Any body seen this Documentary yet?
    This is so freaken deep, it hit me hard. Im not going to lie, I cried.

  • Cuddlestogo64Cuddlestogo64

    Yes, you can survived without touch/ cuddles.

  • ThomSSIThomSSI

    Yes, but not happily or well.

  • SteveASteveA

    Yes, you can survived without touch/ cuddles. Yes, but not happily or well.

  • BabichevBabichev

    Just a note to say that the endocrine system is complex and the popular press tends to present gross oversimplications of it. Hormones rarely play only one role.

    For instance, cortisol, although it is often referred to as a “stress hormone,” is not in and of itself bad. A lack of cortisol is just as harmful as an excess. It’s critical for certain essential chemical reactions to take place.

    Although oxytocin is promoted as the “cuddle hormone’ that’s not completely accurate, either. While oxytocin promotes pro-social behavior and bonding, that behavior is within group. The dark flip side is that it also promotes anti-social feelings towards those not considered part of our group. It widens the us-them divide.

    Robert Sapolsky is one of the leading experts on the biology of human behavior and has spoken about this. Here’s a brief talk from him on the subject.

    https://m.facebook.com/BigThinkdotcom/videos/how-oxytocin-divides-the-world-into-us-and-them/1246947438750711/

    Not everyone has the same level of need for touch. I think it’s harmful to promote the idea that lack of it leads to depression and suicide. That’s not universally true.

    Obviously those of us who are here definitely desire physical human contact but that does not mean that those who don’t are defective or doomed.

  • cuddles_ndreamcuddles_ndream

    Yes, but wouldn’t be pleasant at all unless you happen to be a person who doesn’t like or require cuddling and or touch …

    Same with having a strictly vegan 🌱 diet unless you happen to be a person whose never had / like or require anything outside a vegan diet.

  • speedrsr2001speedrsr2001

    What is your definition of surviving? If it means that you won’t die then yes… but if it’s living with a sense of missing something, lost, going through life yearning, walking in a fog, then no… you cannot.

  • MGKelly63MGKelly63

    I can survive without it, but don’t want to live that way, I enjoy being cuddled and hugged.

  • Mela_BMela_B

    I wouldn't even want to try.

  • Chris04Chris04

    @Babichev
    Im not saying you wrong nor going against wat you said. But... one tiny thing I just got to say I disagree....
    The subject of Oxytocin is very broad and so complicated. That even psychologist and scientists disagree upon each other.

    Ok now...

    Cortisol.
    Ironically we humans we actually do need it, is actually a must. But to little or to much is bad.
    ( so at this point i agree w you)

    Oxytocin:
    2 things that DEFINES Oxytocin.

    1 The actual definition of Oxytocin
    OXYTOCIN: a hormone released by the pituitary gland that causes increased contraction of the uterus during labor and stimulates the ejection of milk into the ducts of the breasts.

    1. ( Has the majority of us know it for)

      4 feel happy hormones.

    2. Serotonin

    3. Endorphin

    4. Dopamine

      4.????? Aka Oxytocin.

      The 4th one, Somebody!!! Somebody desided to also named that hormone Oxytocin. The reason for that it plays a role in love and affection. ( Mother nature, Motherly Norture, Caring, love , bonding )
      And here's where Disagreement comes from

      Some belive no is not the love/cuddle hormone
      Is the actually the social hormone
      ( Here i agree with you)

    Other says no is not is something else's.

    But we can't denied, that 4th hormone aka Oxytocin. Whet ever definition or idea is. Is a happy feeling good hormone.
    ( For now let's call it oxytocin)

    Yes there's numerous different ways to get Oxytocin but.. The one the best ways to get Oxytocin is by human touch/cuddle. Thats because produces affection and it can produce bonding.
    The benefits

    • promotes rewarding aspects of social interactions.
    • happy feel good hormone
    • It reduces stress/ anxiety.
      ( meaning it reduces coritisol)
      Once again going back to cortisol...

    Now to much of cortisol ( thats) stress -> stress leads to depression -> when depression is not treated-> it leads to more complicated problems->

    • makes depression worst
    • Become Alcoholics
    • Become Drug addicts
    • suicide

    See, is not that... im not getting no touch so go commit suicide. Is a process of diferent stages.
    Oxytocin is the exact same level has Eating, sleeping. Drinking water. You dont get any of that we know what happens.
    See, now explain why orphanages have a 30- 40 percent of mortality death. Even though lot of them are well fed, thy have a roof. But are not held thy lack of the human touch.
    So lack of human is just can't be denied or say there's no effect.

    Now.... way off subject. I could be waaaay ooofff,
    The ones have their significant other or bf/gf.
    Or the ones that have family and get along or the ones that have close friends. Those are all the ones saying that yes you can live with out human touch/ cuddling
    Because people like me, that comes from a childhood trauma. Grew up without receiving attention,no affection. Currently no fam and friends. We thnk diferent.
    Im Currently literally suicidal. Thats why in this subject I do personally find that human touch is very crucial. Ill close w a happy tought...
    Im thankful I found Cuddle Comfort. I met so many beautiful And Amazing Pro cuddlers. I love one each one of them. During this hard times w covid n the lock down. CUDDLING IS LITERALLY WHAT HELP ME SURVIVED

  • calmcontactcalmcontact

    @Babichev I was going to thank you for your earlier post. I can usually count on you to step in when questionable "scientific" claims or generalizations are being made.

    I'm so glad that cuddling has helped you so much @Chris04 and I know it's certainly helped me heal from trauma.

    I shared some resources on oxytocin and the biological impact of cuddling on another thread awhile ago but they seem relevant here as well so I'll put them below

    (Referring to oxytocin)
    "Did you guys know that it can actually be a stress hormone and that the way it regulates our behavior can be very different depending on whether we feel safe with present company or not?

    Here's one article that goes into a little more detail on this.
    "The two faces of oxytocin"
    https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb08/oxytocin

    Reducing oxytocin down to the love/trust/cuddle hormone is an oversimplified view of something complex that researchers are still working hard to understand better. Speaking of drugs like oxycontin, did you know that not only is oxytocin release at play when we cuddle, but that our endogenous opioid system is heavily involved in why cuddling feels good and rewarding?

    (Here's a blurb from a paper on endogenous opioids that gives you a better idea of what they are)
    "The endogenous opioid system is one of the most studied innate pain-relieving systems. This system consists of widely scattered neurons that produce three opioids: beta-endorphin, the met- and leu-enkephalins, and the dynorphins. These opioids act as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators at three major classes of receptors, termed mu, delta, and kappa, and produce analgesia. Like their endogenous counterparts, the opioid drugs, or opiates, act at these same receptors to produce both analgesia and undesirable side effects. This article examines some of the recent findings about the opioid system, including interactions with other neurotransmitters, the location and existence of receptor subtypes, and how this information drives the search for better analgesics. We also consider how an understanding of the opioid system affects clinical responses to opiate administration and what the future may hold for improved pain relief. The goal of this article is to assist clinicians to develop pharmacological interventions that better meet their patient's analgesic needs."

    Here's a blurb from a paper on cuddling and stress-buffering that touches on these two systems at play. I'll attach the links as well.

    "Opioid and oxytocin systems are distinct, but in many respects they can function in a convergent or overlapping manner in social interactions. Convergent effects include subjective hedonic feelings, mild painkilling properties, an influence on HPA and SAM axes, as well as the capacity for fine-tuned context-sensitivity via cortical top-down modulation. Each is tightly associated with affiliative behaviors, particularly those involving touch—for example, the petting, nudging, grooming, play-elicitation, and snuggling that often accompanies a reunion in many species."

    "The endogenous opioid system and clinical pain management"
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16082232/

    "Keep Calm and Cuddle on: Social Touch as a Stress Buffer"
    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40750-016-0052-x "

    ---Things like cuddling and holding hands have been shown to reduce people's physical pain which is a product of these different systems at play. Again to answer the question - humans can survive for some time without these things, but they will almost certainly experience a negative impact from lack of physical/social contact which has been an adaptive behavior of our species for a very very long time.

  • [Deleted User]Tazman5307 (deleted user)

    @Ahmedali999

    Then we need to understand what the word survive means in the original post.

    Survive means, as I understand in my life, to remain alive after a traumatic attack on one’s life. A type of attack that could’ve wiped one’s life and those that are loved. You see, I lived in a war zone for 8 years. I’ve seen ppl die in front of me because of a revolution.

    Can we survive without touch and cuddling? Of course we can. Life continues. Tell that to Mandela who was imprisoned for 30 years, no cuddles and no touch. That’s just one example.

    The quality of life will not be the same of course, but we can survive none the less. I’m not underestimating it, I’m putting things in perspective.

    To survive something is not always a win or sign of success, but we can still live somehow.

  • Nature_Lover_Nature_Lover_

    My face while reading about the science referenced within this thread ☺️🤓☺️🤓

  • Chris04Chris04

    @Nature_Lover_ lol. Lot of Science and Psychology in it.

  • MorpheusMorpheus

    Someone said surviving and thriving, that’s so perfect. I’m a very touchy huggy person. Without touch, I would love but would definitely not thrive.

  • Ahmedali999Ahmedali999

    @Tazman5307 maybe you are right we still can live but not well . I have of communication with society and it really effects me the lack of touch. I lived because of cuddle and touch otherwise I wouldn't take or accept this life.
    Thanks everyone for your comments

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